Falling Into Place
by Tibby Rose
Summary: AU. Blair Waldorf has it all. Great job, amazing best friend and the perfect boyfriend. But every changes when she meets Dan Humphrey, who shows her that the best things in life are free. DISCONTINUED.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Falling Into Place**

**Summary: AU. Blair Waldorf has it all. Great job, amazing best friend and the perfect boyfriend. But every changes when she meets Dan Humphrey, who shows her that the best things in life are free.**

**Type: Multichapter**

**Fandom: Gossip Girl**

**Main couple: Dan/Blair**

**Other couples: Vanessa/Rufus, Chuck/Blair, Nate/Jenny, Eleanor/Cyrus, Lily/Bart, Serena/Nate and Serena/Carter**

**A/N: WHO PROCRASTINATES ON OTHER STORIES? I DO!**

**But seriously, I have had this idea in my head for a while now. Also, it includes some of my old ships, and my new ones that I love. Everybody wins!**

**Also, last but not least, I obviously know nothing about their jobs and such, so if needed, constructive criticism would be welcome in that area.**

**But please enjoy.**

Blair Waldorf opened the door to the coffee shop, and shifted the phone that was held between her ear and her shoulder.

"Yes, yes, Hazel, I _know_" she snapped irritably in the phone "You've told me a thousand times."

Frowning as she joined the queue, Blair had to resist the urge to tell her colleague to shut up all together. She had been going on about a case for about a week now, and Blair couldn't deal with that kind of thing. She was a high powered lawyer at one of the biggest law firms in New York, for God's sake. She couldn't worry about her coworker's dilemmas too.

"Hazel!" Blair said abruptly "I have to hang up on you now. I'm busy."

"Wait!" Hazel cried "I need-"

"Sorry." Blair said quickly, before snapping her phone shut.

She arrived at the front of the queue, and shot the barista worker a quick glance "One large coffee to go, please.""

The barista waiter smirked.

"What?" Blair snapped.

"You're just, so, predictable" he sighed "Someone like you, ordering a large coffee to go, while talking onto the phone, obviously annoyed."

She glared at him "People like me? What about people like you? People who have no choice but to work here."

She looked at his name tag. Dan.

_Daniel would be more sophisticated _Blair noted to herself.

Dan chuckled "Oh, but I chose to work here. You see, I'm actually a writer. This is just my on the side job."

Blair raised a perfectly waxed eyebrow "Writer, huh? I suppose you have nothing published yet."

"Not exactly. I had a piece printed in The New York Times" he shrugged.

"Oh. Well, congratulations."

Dan laughed "One second you're insulting me, the next you're congratulating me?"

"Well, I won't congratulate you in future then" Blair replied defensively "Where's my coffee?"

"Right here" Dan smirked and handed it to her.

"Thanks" Blair said, handing over the correct change, which she had memorized long ago.

"Oh, and by the way" she paused "There actually won't be a next time. Because I highly doubt we'll ever meet again."

Dan laughed.

Blair shot him a dark look, before turning on her heel and making her way out the door.

...

"Blair Waldorf!" Carter Baizen barked, the second Blair entered the office "You're 2 minutes late!"

"I'm sorry" Blair said quickly, offering her boss the coffee she had planned on enjoying "There was just a hold up at the coffee shop."

"Just sure it doesn't happen again" Carter spat, before snatching the coffee out of Blair's hand and storming away.

"What was that all about?" Nelly Yuki, her secretary asked, coming up from behind Blair.

"My lunch break went for 17 minutes instead of 15" Blair whispered back, before heading over to her desk.

She had sat down and was pulling out a folder, when Nelly appeared at her desk.

"Mr. Bass called for you" Nelly told her with a smile "As did your mother, and one of your clients, Damien Dalgaard."

"Thank you Nelly" Blair replied, before reaching for the phone.

She decided on calling her mother first, just to get it over and done with.

Blair dialed in the familiar number and pressed call, before switching on her computer.

"Blair!" came her mother's voice on the other end "Where have you been?"

Blair sighed. Eleanor Waldorf-Rose was a woman in her late fifties, was everything Blair didn't want to be. Throughout her childhood, Eleanor had been distant, and that carried on through Blair's teen years. It was only now, when Blair was successful lawyer, and dating a millionaire, did she want to be a part of her life more.

"I've been busy with work" Blair replied, knowing perfectly well that her mother wouldn't accept any other answer.

"Of course. It must be tiring to be a Baizen lawyer. Anyhow, how are things with you and Charles?"

"Fine" replied Blair. _No, we aren't engaged. No, I'm not pregnant. Same as last time you called _she added silently.

"So this is your fourth year of dating?" Eleanor pressed.

"Fifth" Blair corrected "We started going out a year after I graduated from Yale."

"I see. Now, are still on for dinner tonight?"

"Yes" replied Blair, trying not to sound agitated "Mom, I have to go. Work to do."

"Okay Blair. See you tonight" Eleanor replied briskly, and Blair hung up.

She tried to phone her client, Damien Dalgaard, but wen e didn't pick up, se left a message and went to call Chuck.

"Chuck" she sighed, the second he picked "I'm at work."

"Then why did you call me back?" her boyfriend, replied, and Blair could tell he was smirking.

Blair laughed "Alright, what do you want?"

"Do we have dinner tonight?"

"With my mother, my stepfather, your father and your stepmother? Yes."

"Okay, good" Chuck replied.

Blair raised an eyebrow, although she knew he couldn't see it "Oh, you're not annoyed for once? Usually you hate having dinner with our parents."

Chuck laughed "Unfortunately Blair, I have to go. But I'll see you tonight."

"Bye Chuck. I love you" Blair smiled, before hanging up, and not giving a second thought about their conversation for the rest of the day.

...

"Chuck, are you ready to leave?" Blair called over her shoulder, slipping into her feet into a pair of stilettoes.

"Of course" he replied coolly, walking into the room.

"Good, so we can leave" Blair nodded, putting her coat on.

"Now, why are you so eager to go?" Chuck asked, kissing Blair on the neck.

"I just want to get it over and done with, so I can have six months of peace before we have to catch up with them again.

Chuck nodded slowly, and then kissed her hard on the lips.

"Chuck" Blair interrupted "Not now. We have to go."

Blair slung her bag over her shoulder, and made her way to the elevator, closely followed by Chuck.

...

"So Blair" began Chuck's stepmother, who was also the mother of Blair's best friend Serena and her little brother Eric, who sat on either side of Blair "How's work going?"

"Oh, it's fine Lily, but very busy." Blair took a drink from her Champagne flute "You know, the usual. Nothing new."

Lily nodded, and turned to Chuck "And how about you Charles? Managing the Empire well?"

"Well, I'm sure that if I was running it badly you would've heard it from my father, but yes, things are going well."

"Excuse Blair and I" Serena said suddenly, getting up. The two of them usually left to have a chat when the others began talking about business.

Eleanor nodded sharply, as did Lily, but looked as though they might object.

"We won't be long" Serena added hurriedly.

Serena left, and Blair followed her.

"So, how are thing with you and my stepbrother?" Serena asked with a smile, taking a swig of champagne.

"They're fine S. same as usual" Blair shrugged.

"Same as usual? B, you've been dating for five years!" Serena threw her hand up in the air, before she repeated "Same as usual?" with an agitated sigh.

"Well, I mean, there's nothing wrong with it" Blair argued "I'm happy with him."

"There's nothing wrong with it? There is if it's the same as usual. Usual means you're living in a rut. A relationship rut!"

Blair laughed at her best friend's overreaction, before shaking her head "What about you and Nate? You're telling me you don't live in a rut with him?"

Serena rolled her eyes "For your information, Nate and I broke up. As broken up as you can be when you were merely friends with benefits."

Blair laughed again, and Serena opened her mouth again to say something, but then Chuck appeared.

"If you two would like to return to the conversation, we're done talking about business.

Serena laughed "Thank you Chuck."

Chuck smirked and left, and Serena followed him, her long blonde hair flying behind her.

Blair went to follow them, but something caught her eye.

"Blair?" Serena called over her shoulder "You coming?"

"One minute" Blair called back, and Serena nodded and reentered the living room.

Turning back to the newspaper lying on the table, Blair picked it up and studied the page it was opened on.

Sure enough, there it was. Coffee worker Dan's story.

Blair quickly glanced over it, and smiled. He wasn't a bad writer.

"Blair!" Eleanor called.

"Coming!" Blair called back, and made her way to the living rooom, making a mental note to read more on Dan's story later.

...

After dinner, Blair stood with Chuck as they said their goodbyes to everyone else.

Well, while they waited for the goodbyes to begin.

"It was nice-" Blair began, before the ringing of Chuck's mobile cut her off.

"Excuse me" he said, once he glanced at the caller ID "I have to take this. It's an important call."

Everyone nodded, and Blair smiled and turned back towards the others.

"Well, it was great to see you all" she smiled brightly, as she gave Lily a hug.

"Oh you too Blair" Lily replied, as Blair shook Bart's hand.

At that moment, Chuck returned to the room, a smile on his face.

"That was quick Chuck" Serena remarked.

"Well" Chuck paused, before pulling something out of his pocket "I only needed to ask one simple, yet very important question."

Things had already clicked in Blair's mind, and she stiffened.

Chuck got down on one knee, and Serena gasped, while Eric brought his hand to his mouth to stifle his 'Oh my god.'

The parents, on the other hand, were merely smiling. Obviously, they had been informed beforehand.

"Blair" Chuck began "We met 6 months after you finished college, 6 months prior to when we started going out. You were beautiful, intelligent-and you haven't changed a bit since. You're perfect, and the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. So Blair Cordelia Waldorf, will you marry me?"

All eyes were on Blair.

She should've just said yes already.

But she couldn't.

"Excuse me" said Blair quickly "I need to be alone."

And she ran into the elevator, and out of the suite.

...

Blair ran down the streets of New York, her heels hitting the ground, and her hair flying out behind her.

She pulled to a stop outside a coffee shop, and had only realized it was the same one from the morning when she was inside.

"Well look who's back" called a familiar voice "The closed sign seem to faze you at all?"

"I just ran away from an engagement" Blair burst out, without realizing.

Coffee guy Dan raised his head from the table he was cleaning "What?"

"I just ran away from an engagement. From the man I have been dating for five years, who just happens to be Chuck Bass! Who is also the man I love! What the fuck is wrong with me?"

"Shock?" suggested Dan.

"Oh, I don't know. Right now, all I know is that I'm an idiot, and that I need some liquor."

Dan made his way over to the counter "We don't really have much in the way of alcohol, seeing as the only time people want it is in when a big game is on."

He handed her a beer, and Blair took a swig.

"Why would you have it anyway? This is a coffee shop" Blair asked curiously.

Dan shrugged "My boss says that he enjoys the game with a beer. So we turn into a bar every so often."

Blair raised an eyebrow.

"Enough about that. You just ran out on an engagement" Dan told her.

"I know! And I don't even know why!"

"Do you love him?"

Blair rolled her eyes "Yes. Of course."

"Do you want to marry him?"

"Yes."

"Do you wish you accepted the proposal?"

"Yes."

"Well there you go" Dan said simply.

Blair frowned "It can't be that simple! There has to be another reason!"

"Well if you figure it out, you tell me, okay?"

Blair rolled her eyes "My mother's going to kill me as well. How could I turn down an engagement to Chuck Bass?"

"I don't know."

"You're losing interest aren't you?"

"It's not my problem."

"Oh, alright then" Blair straightened up in her seat "Tell me about your family while I think."

"What?" Dan looked like he couldn't believe she was serious.

"Tell me about your family!" Blair said, more sharply this time.

"Um, there's not much to tell. My mom and dad divorce when I was seventeen. My mom moved to Hudson, fell in love with her next door neighbor and married him. My dad married my best friend, and my sister's a budding fashion designer."

"Your dad married your best friend? Is your best friend your age?" Blair asked, completely shocked.

"Yeah. So what? My best friend Vanessa married my dad Rufus. It's no big deal once you get used to it." Dan shrugged as if it was all so simple.

"Oh, I'm sure that will never happen for me. So, how long have they been married?"

"6 years."

Blair nodded slowly.

"Okay, enough about me. Tell me about your family."

"There's not much to tell, besides I want to hear about your sister."

Dan laughed "Alright. I'll make you a deal. If I tell you more about my family, then you tell me about yours, before we try to finish this little problem of yours."

"Well, I wouldn't call it a little problem, but alright. Deal" she nodded.

Dan laughed again, and pulled up the seat across from Blair.

...

After about an hour or two of talking with Dan, Blair checked her watch and stood up to leave.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go. But thank you for everything" Blair smiled, and grabbed her coat.

"Oh, sure. It wasn't much, but I appreciate your thanks" Dan smiled and got up.

Blair laughed "Alright. Bye Humphrey."

"Humphrey? Okay then, later Waldorf" Dan said with a wave, and Blair rolled her eyes and made her way to the door.

"So, any last advice?" she paused, as the door was halfway open.

"If you love him and you do want to marry him, say yes."

"Thank you. Now, if you excuse me, I have to go get engaged and you have to go back to being a man. Seriously, as much as I appreciated this advice, you're reminding me of my best friend Serena."

Dan chuckled, and Blair gave him one last wave before leaving.

...

Blair entered the apartment she shared with Chuck, and took a deep breath.

"Blair?" Chuck called "Is that you? What happened before?"

"Chuck!" Blair exclaimed the second he entered the room "I'm sorry. And I accept it. Yes. I will marry you."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Chuck smiled and kissed her, and when they pulled apart, Blair laughed.

"That's great, Blair."

"It is, isn't it?"

But somehow, it didn't seem great. Somehow, Blair wished she was still drinking beer with one particular barista worker.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: Falling Into Place**

**Summary: AU. Blair Waldorf has it all. Great job, amazing best friend and the perfect boyfriend. But every changes when she meets Dan Humphrey, who shows her that the best things in life are free.**

**Type: Multichapter**

**Fandom: Gossip Girl**

**Main couple: Dan/Blair**

**Other couples: Vanessa/Rufus, Chuck/Blair, Dan/Serena, Nate/Jenny, Eleanor/Cyrus, Lily/Bart, Serena/Nate and Serena/Carter**

**A/N: Thank you all so much for favoriting/alerting/reviewing. It really does mean a lot to me. Sorry it took me so long to update, but I could not find any muse, which is why this chapter is not up to scratch.**

The next morning, when Blair woke up, she looked at her engagement ring, still trying to grasp the fact she was engaged.

Blair grabbed her phone from the table, and found the second number on speed dial.

"Serena" Blair began, the second her best friend picked up "I need some retail therapy."

Serena laughed "Sure, B" she paused "Are you and Chuck-?"

"No, we're fine. We're engaged."

"Engaged? You mean you ended up saying yes? Blair-"

"I'll tell you about it later. Meet you at Grapevine in an hour?"

"Okay, see you then. Bye!"

Blair hung up the phone, shaking her head and smiling at her friend's ever positive attitude.

Chuck had already left for work, so Blair didn't have to worry about the awkwardness that would most likely occur between two people who had just gotten engaged, though deep down one of them isn't 100% sure about it. Well, the awkwardness that the unsure one would feel.

Shaking her head, Blair got ready, and prepared for the angry call from her mother that would arrive at any moment.

As if on cue, Blair had barely made it to the door before her phone began to ring, the caller ID telling her it was her mother.

With a sigh, Blair answered the phone.

"Mom."

"Blair, what were you thinking? Running out like that? Serena and I had to smooth things over, and you're very lucky"

"Mom."

"You're very lucky Chuck's a good man. Otherwise-"

"We're engaged."

After a moment of silence, she spoke again.

"Well, that's good. Now, I'll have to start discussing with Lily the plans on the wedding, but have you picked a date yet?" Eleanor said, and Blair frowned.

"We've been engaged for less than 24 hours! I haven't even told daddy and Roman let alone picked a date!"

"Oh Blair, stop being childish and making such a big deal out of things."

"Me? Mother-"

"Sorry Blair. Another call coming through. I'll phone you later."

"Typical" Blair muttered herself once she had hung up.

With a sigh, she headed out the door and hailed a cab, wishing she had Dan Humphrey's number.

Because right now, it felt like he was the only person she could talk to about her mother.

...

"B!" Serena squealed, wrapping her arms around Blair "Where's the ring?"

With a laugh, Blair put out her hand and Serena grinned at the large diamond on her finger.

"I'm so happy for you B!"

"Thank you S. You'll be my maid of honor of course" Blair replied, as Serena dragged her over to a table.

"It would be my honor."

Blair laughed and Serena grinned.

The waitress came over and took their orders, and grinned when she saw Blair and her ring.

"Oh my gosh, you're Blair Waldorf right? I can't believe it! You have an engagement ring. You're going to marry Chuck Bass!" the girl said excitedly.

"No" Serena shook her head "You must be mistaken. She's engaged to me. Not Chuck Bass."

"Oh."

The girl didn't look like she believed Serena, but she walked off nonetheless.

Blair burst out laughing "I'm engaged to you now?"

Serena shrugged with a smile "Possibly."

After Blair had stopped laughing, Serena asked more questions on the wedding.

"So, any plans yet?"

"You sound like my mother S. No, not yet. I need to talk to Chuck first, but I was thinking The Palace."

Serena nodded "I'm sure Chuck would love that. You know him, all things classy and expensive."

"But then we'll have to work fast if we want to get a reservation. And then there's Save the Date cards, catering, actual invitations, the dress. S, I'm not sure if I can do this."

"Get married or organize a wedding?" Serena questioned

_Get married._

"Organize it" Blair said quickly.

"B, I'm sure it'll be fine. You're Blair Waldorf and Chuck Bass-two people who can always get what they want. And it's just the beginning, and it'll work out fine. Don't worry."

"How can you be so sure though?" Blair demanded.

"Because you can do anything. And if normal people can do it, Blair Waldorf sure as hell can, right?"

Blair nodded "You're right. Now, let's go. I have dresses to shop for."

"I like the way you think."

Blair laughed as Serena pulled her to her feet, orders forgotten, and the two linked up their arms. If there was one thing Serena van der Woodsen was good at, it was cheering up Blair Waldorf.

...

"Thank you so much S. I really needed some retail therapy."

"Yes, because getting engaged requires retail therapy" Serena laughed.

"It's more stressful then you think, alright? I can only imagine what the next few months are going to be like" Blair shook her head.

Serena laughed again "I'm sure they'll be fun though B."

"I sure hope so, otherwise-"

"Otherwise what?"

"Blair?"

Saved by the bell.

Or coffee guy Dan.

"Dan?"

Sure enough, it was him.

"Serena" smiled Blair's best friend as she held out her hand to Dan.

"It is an honor to meet you too, mademoiselle" Dan leaned forward and kissed Serena's hand. She giggled, but Blair merely rolled her eyes "Corny."

Serena sighed.

"So, how'd things guy with you and your engagement?" Dan questioned. It was simple, but by Serena's face it was clear that it was a strange topic for the two to talk about.

"Thing went well. Clearly" Blair held up her hand.

"That's nice to hear."

"So um, how do you two know each other?" Serena asked suddenly.

"Oh! He's a-from work" Blair replied quickly, and Dan raised an eyebrow in her direction.

"So you're a lawyer?"

"No, he brings us the coffees" Blair said slowly "He's a nice guy. We talk."

"That's good to hear you actually want to be nice to people, B" Serena teased.

Dan nodded "Oh yeah. Blair and I are super close. BFFS. I'm pretty sure I have my half of our 'best friends' necklace somewhere." Blair shot him a dark look, but Serena giggled,

"Ha-ha Humphrey. Come on S, let's go." Serena nodded, but she looked at Dan for a bit longer.

"For crying out loud. She'll meet you in front of _J'adore _at eight" the brunette informed Dan, as she dragged Serena off.

"B!" Serena frowned "I'm not ready to go on a date just yet. I broke up with Nate not even a week ago!"

"I thought you were friends with benefits?"

Serena shot Blair a dirty look, but smiled all the same.

"Things don't work that way, B."

"Well you didn't turn him down" Blair retorted.

Serena huffed "Point taken. Now come on, help me find a new dress for the date you set me up with!"

...

Blair stepped into the apartment she shared with Chuck later that day, a bunch of shopping bags dangling from her arms. It had been good to go out with Serena-and to bump into Dan-but all of her doubts about her upcoming marriage returned the second she stepped onto the tiled floor of her home.

"Chuck?" she called out, but the only thing she got in reply was the sound of footsteps as their maid Dorota entered the room.

"Mister Chuck called to say he had to work late, Miss Blair" she informed Blair, and the brunette gave her a stiff nod in reply "Well, go prepare dinner then."

The maid gave her a nod and walked off, as Blair's eyes landed on a newspaper. Not just any newspaper though-the one that had Dan's story in it.

Scooping it up, Blair headed towards the living room, and, sitting down, she began to read. It was based on her world-the world of privilege. Any other time, Blair would have been offended. But he writing was surprisingly good. He had written it in such a way that it made Blair actually question everything around her. As if she wasn't doing so already.

"Miss Blair."

The sudden voice made Blair's head snap up, and she caught Dorota looking at her, a quizzical look on her face "Dinner is served."

"Oh, thank you Dorota" Blair got up and quickly grabbed the newspaper, although why she did so see didn't quite understand. It was nothing to be ashamed of. All she was doing was reading a story. That was it.

Right?

...

The next morning, Blair woke to find Chuck up and getting ready for the day.

"I thought you didn't have to go to work today?" Blair asked curiously, throwing her legs over the side of the bed "It's Sunday-brunch with Nate and Serena remember?"

Chuck frowned "I have to go to the office, B, it's urgent. I'll still make brunch, okay?"

Blair nodded, and Chuck sighed and went over to her "I promise I'll make brunch. I'll be at the office for two hours at least."

He kissed her then, and Blair found herself kissing him back, hoping that maybe he would stay.

But as if on cue, is phone started to ring and Chuck pulled himself away and answered.

"I'm heading over there now" he began talking as he picked up his briefcase and made his way out the door, without even saying goodbye.

Blair grimaced, but deciding that she would not let him going to the office for a few hours ruin a day, she took a scalding shower, and threw on an outfit that gave her the boost she needed to get over the little morning issue.

She arrived at the restaurant alone-Chuck had said she'd meet her, Serena and Nate there-but soon enough, she could spot the familiar golden heads of her friends.

She headed over to the two, and almost immediately, Serena leapt up "Blair! Ohmigod Dan is such a great guy! He's so-"

"Blair" Nate grinned, and pulled Blair into a hug "Please save me. I've been putting up with this for the past half hour."

Blair laughed as she stared at her two best friends in amazement. Here they were, talking about Serena's date with such ease even though, a mere week before, they two of them were fucking. It was if the two of them had never dated, and they were just friends. Which in a way, Blair supposed they always were-Serena and Nate said the two of them were just friends with benefits.

"How was it S?" Blair asked as she took a seat, even though her mind was on Chuck and the fact he wasn't here.

"It was wonderful. Dan's a really nice guy" Serena smiled "He's also really charming-and did you know he's a writer? He had something published in The New Yorker!"

"Oh yeah, he may have mentioned something about it" Blair waved it off "So, are you going to catch up with him again?"

Nate sighed, but Serena nodded enthusiastically "He said he'd be in touch."

The next two hours passed in a breeze. The trio filled each other in on their lives-mainly Nate and Blair, as Serena saw the two often-and discussed the wedding for a bit, which for some reason, made Blair feel uneasy. But it was probably because Chuck never showed up.

As Nate helped Blair into her jacket his brow furrowed, he bought it up "So, where was Chuck?"

Blair gulped, her eyes stinging "I wish I knew Archibald. He'd told me he'd be late, but I didn't think he meant this late."

Nate nodded and gave the petite brunette a quick hug, as did Serena. She knew her best friends were just trying to be there for her, though there wasn't much need. It was just a missed brunch. Or maybe that's just what she wanted to tell herself.

"Thank you-both of you. But I best be going now. S, good luck with Humphrey, and Nate, good luck with finding another job and another girlfriend."

Blair gave them one last wave, before leaving the restaurant, trying not to get wound up over the whole thing. But for some reason, it pissed her off, and made her extremely upset, that Chuck had broken his promise. But the weirdest thing was, a week ago, she wouldn't have cared as much.

**A/N: Reviews are love.**


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